The Mageia Chronicles
by sue98
Summary: An exceptionally strong, female protagonist, endearing and relatable characters (most are variations from the Hunger Games), and an exciting fantasy realm just waiting to be explored, the Mageia Chronicles is basically Harry Potter meets the Hunger Games with a sprinkle of my own touch. Do you have what it takes to be a Mageia? Welcome to the Prime.
1. The Dialego

**The Dialego**

I woke up to a searing headache. No big surprise there, since I had probably gotten only an hour of sleep. The most important day of my life and I feel like a zombie. Typical, just typical.

I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and shuffled over to the window... and just like that all the excitement and adrenaline that had kept me awake for most of the night came rushing back. Today was the Dialego. Today, the lives of eight average eighteen-year-olds were about to change forever.

Putting on the first clothes I saw, I sprinted out into the bustling lane... and was almost gored by a minotaur. I stared in wonder at the intricate statue. Dozens more lined the street. Apparently, statues of the Beasts had been erected overnight – gigantic minotaurs, dragons, centaurs, demons, griffins, faeries... all the creatures you could name and thousands more besides. Avalon may not be as rich as the Primeval (the ruling city of our realm, the Prime), but we could certainly make for it in spirit. A group of children ran past me waving a huge banner between them. Large bold letters were scrawled across it: **WELCOME CITIZENS TO THE DIALEGO! ALL CITIZENS MUST BE PRESENT AT CENTRAL HALL BY 7AM SHARP. ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY FOR ALL. WE WISH OUR CANDIDATES THE VERY BEST OF LUCK!**

Ten minutes to seven. With a quick pat on the minotaur's horn, I ran towards the Hall.

In case you're wondering, my name is Katniss Everdeen. I am eighteen years old. I live in Avalon, one of the eight primal cities in our realm. Once every three years, the cities host the Dialego – a ceremony where an eighteen-year-old boy or girl from each city is chosen as a member of the Mageia. Now here's the best bit: the beasts I was talking about earlier? They aren't just for decoration. They're real. And the candidates are the guys who are meant to bond with them. I'll warn you now, if you were expecting warm and fuzzy, then my story isn't for you.

Welcome to the Prime.

I entered the Hall with literally seconds to spare. The whole city had turned up to watch the most important event in the realm, so naturally, there were more than a few mutters when I pushed my way towards the candidate stands. The eighteen – year – olds were kept separate from their families – something about emotion making the choosing process harder than it already was. I didn't really care either way; partly because I had no family.

My parents had been killed sixteen years ago when I was still a toddler. I had been told the story many times: It had happened when the three of us were driving home from my Aunt Callida's house. It was a stormy night and we were driving bridge across the Rau River. They had found my parents corpses in the water the next morning; apparently part of the bridge had collapsed under the combined pressure and the car had fallen in. By some miracle they had found me bobbing among the debris... and I was alive. Want to know the saddest part? I remember absolutely nothing of the whole event. I don't have a single memory of my parents before the accident.

'Hey, Everdeen,' called out a voice from the throng of candidates.

I recognized the user immediately and a smile formed on my lips. Gale was the only person I would miss if they chose me today. Not that there was any chance of that happening.

'You're late for my choosing,' he says, with a lopsided grin.

'Technically, I'm not late,' I replied. 'There's still no sign of the escorts.'

Two people, a male, and a female, from the Primeval went to each city to host the Dialego. Their job was to accompany the chosen into the city and, to put it bluntly, make sure that they didn't try to run or kill themselves during the journey.

'Aren't you going to wish me luck?' asked Gale with a smile. Only I could see that the smile didn't reach his eyes.  
He's worried, I realized. He thinks that it's already been decided, that they've already chosen him. A prickle of fear ran down my spine.

'It's not decided you know,' I murmured gently. 'And I know you. You have it in you to survive.'

Gale's face softened with warmth.

'Don't. You know it's decided already. They pick the strongest candidates the ones they think possess enough mental and physical power to survive the bond. They basically bred me for this,' he said bitterly.

One glance at his physique and I knew it was true. He was the minister's son, one of the most well – bred boys in Avalon. They'd practically started teaching him the alphabet a week after he was born. Gale _had_ been raised for this.

'You know only half of them survive and sometimes even less. And even if I do survive they won't let me come back. I won't ever see you or father again,' he was talking faster now and there was a wild, frenzied look in his eyes. 'Katniss listen to me! No matter what happens –'

His voice was cut off by the deep sounds of a horn. Three long notes resonated through the Hall, sending vibrations deep within my bones. The escorts had arrived.

They arrived with a kind of grace, wrapped in pristine robes, the traditional dress of the Primeval. Who could tell by looking at those serene faces, that they were about to change a person's life forever? The female stepped forward.

'Good morning dear citizens of Avalon. Today we witness a historical occasion... the 51st Dialego of our realm! As you all know, fifty years ago, during the rise of the Primeval, a contract between the eight cities was forged. Every three years one candidate must be chosen from each city in order to join the Maegia. Today one of your children will be bestowed the honor of protecting our realm!'

This was a practiced speech. It was given every time, just by a different escort.

'Candidates, will you serve?' bellowed the male escort.

Cheers erupted from the crowd and candidates alike.

'Then we shall begin,' replied the escort, taking a tiny square of parchment from his partner.

This was it. They were going to announce the chosen. Please don't let it be Gale, I prayed, to whichever God was listening. I had no anxiety for myself. There was no chance that the Primeval would want a scrawny, orphan girl in their precious Mageia. My heartbeat picked up, adrenaline pumping through my veins. Please, please, please don't let it be Gale. The escort unfolded the parchment and looked up.

'Citizens of Avalon, please give a big hand for Mageia Katniss Everdeen!'

* * *

 **Hey guys! As you can see I've created a whole new world for Peeta and Katniss. As the chapters go on, I intend to elaborate more about the world of Mageia's and the eight cities in the Prime. (You'll find Peeta soon I promise *wink* *wink*) Please tell me what you think with a review... thanks for all your support and happy reading! :)**


	2. Chosen

**Chosen**

I was six years old when I saw my first Dialego. A boy had been chosen from Avalon that year, and I remember screaming my approval with the crowd when his name was taken. In our world, the Mageia were the elite. They were the King's Warriors, the protector of our lands, and no matter the risks posed by bonding ritual, the honour bestowed upon the chosen and their families was worth the danger. Of course, at that age what I didn't know was that no matter what happened the people did not have a choice. The Primeval said that the eight cities of the Prime needed the Mageia; and whatever the Primeval says we obey… because without the Primeval how would peace and prosperity reign over the Prime?

So when my name was chosen, you might expect me to tell you that I was shocked. Disoriented. Caught off – guard. To be honest, I was all of those things and more. Why would they choose a worthless orphan, someone who was so much lacking in magical knowledge, that she had no idea what the elite even did? To make things worse, my mind wasn't even there at the time to experience any of those emotions, let alone walk through the mass of people who were now staring at me as if they were seeing me for the first time in the last seventeen years.

Just as the escort was about to announce the name of the Mageia, I had felt it – a strange tingling sensation like feathers or a very light touch of someone's fingertips running along my spine. My body recognized the touch instantly, as if all these years it had been silently waiting, begging for the adrenaline that was rapidly building up in my veins. The ghostly caress started at the nape of my neck, traveling all the way down, along my arms, my chest, even the sensitive skin between my legs, right to the very tips of my toes. Everywhere it touched was like a spark… and soon my whole body was burning with an intense, scorching fire. That was when I heard my name being called, which was probably the only thing that could have distracted me from the delicious pleasure circulating through my veins; pleasure that quickly morphed into outright confusion and shock when I felt Gale squeeze his hands on my shoulders and give me a gentle shove towards the dais. I turned to him in surprise. Gale's face was hard, closed off, and he refused to make eye contact with me.

"Gale –"

"Miss Everdeen," said a cool, masculine voice from behind me. The bronze haired escort was standing just a few feet away from me, midway between where I stood and the dais. He was holding out his hand – an offer. Not that I was given a choice to refuse. In his other hand was a small white contraption with a thin metal rod protruding from one end: a sting ray. One shock could stun you cold for fifteen hours – a lifetime ago, I had accidentally shot Gale, with one that we had found in the woods near our home. Might as well go nicely Katniss, I told myself. Because no matter what you do he's going to take you anyway.

I pushed my shoulders back and firmly strode over to the center of the Hall. As the cheering of the crowd rose in a crescendo around me, a remaining whisper of sensation stroked the back of my mind forming words…

" _I'm waiting."_


End file.
